“Pain sets us up to become self-centered.”

A thought by Andy Stanley, (2009-01-21) from his book, Louder Than Words: The Power of Uncompromised Living (Kindle Location 1982). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

And that is true emotionally and physically.  Think about the last time you had some real physical pain.  I’m mean you were really hurting.  Who were you thinking about? You.  And the same is true emotionally.

Andy says, “Emotional pain works the same way. And like physical pain, the more intense the emotional pain, the more self-centered we become, and self-centeredness is the archenemy of character. Men and women of character are committed to putting others first.”

But the Enemy knows how to sidetrack us doesn’t he?  I mean I’m in pain.  Take care of me.  But the golden rule says, “To do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”  And pain is a way of learning how to minister to others and to show people how God can make a difference when we are in pain.  But it is really difficult to do isn’t it?

I’ve been thinking about people who are in real financial pain and what kind of attitude that some of them have shown toward these children who have slipped into our country.  I mean good people have shown no compassion for these kids who have escaped such horrible conditions where they have lived.  The terror that many of them live with every day is enormous but we say, “Don’t let them stay here.  Send them back no matter what.”  But pain makes us so self-centered.

Christ wants us to love and take care of others no matter how it affects us.  Didn’t He say on the Cross, “Father forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing.”  I wonder how we would have handled that situation.

So how are you handling your pain?